Solar Concentrator Reactor for High Temperature Thermochemical Processes

Abstract

A solar concentrator reactor system and method of use for high temperature thermochemical processes. In one embodiment, the solar concentrator reactor system produces a thermochemical reaction of irradiated particles within an enclosed vessel volume of a solar concentrator reactor. In one aspect, the solar concentrator reactor system uses a solar concentrator to irradiate particles of a particle stream within an enclosed vessel volume of a solar concentrator reactor. The thermochemical reaction yields a chemical change of the feedstock and/or phase transition of the feedstock such as the production of a molten reacted material from a solid particulate feed. In one embodiment, the particles are a lunar regolith and the thermochemical reaction yields oxygen.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A solar concentrator reactor system comprising:
 a solar concentrator reactor having an enclosed vessel volume and comprising:
 a gas inlet inputting a first gas stream to the enclosed vessel volume, the first gas stream comprising a first gas; 
 a gas outlet outputting a second gas stream from the enclosed vessel volume, the second gas comprising a second gas; 
 a solar concentrator directing solar energy to a defined irradiating location within the enclosed vessel volume; 
 a particle feed delivering a set of particles of a particle stream to the defined irradiating location; 
 a controller operating to control the solar concentrator to direct solar energy to the defined irradiating location; and 
 a slag processor comprising a slag extrusion nozzle and a slag outlet; wherein: 
   the solar energy directed by the solar concentrator to the defined irradiating location irradiates the particles of the particle stream to produce a thermochemical reaction of the particles, the thermochemical reaction yielding the second gas and yielding a reacted material;   the reacted material is extruded from the slag extrusion nozzle; and   the second gas is emitted from the gas outlet.   
     
     
         2 . The solar concentrator reactor system of  claim 1 , wherein the thermochemical reaction is associated with the first gas. 
     
     
         3 . The solar concentrator reactor system of  claim 1 , wherein the defined irradiating location is between a particle feed outlet of the particle feed and the slag processor. 
     
     
         4 . The solar concentrator reactor system of  claim 1 , wherein the defined irradiating location is at or adjacent to the slag processor. 
     
     
         5 . The solar concentrator reactor system of  claim 1 , wherein the reacted material forms a slag pool at or adjacent to the slag processor. 
     
     
         6 . The solar concentrator reactor system of  claim 1 , wherein the second gas is one of oxygen, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and H 2 O. 
     
     
         7 . The solar concentrator reactor system of  claim 1 , wherein the set of particles comprise lunar regolith. 
     
     
         8 . The solar concentrator reactor system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller further operates to control a rate of delivery of the particle stream and a rate of extrusion of the reacted material from a slag extrusion nozzle of the slag processor. 
     
     
         9 . The solar concentrator reactor system of  claim 1 , wherein the particle stream forms a falling sheet of particles. 
     
     
         10 . A method of using a solar concentrator reactor to produce a thermochemical reaction on a particle stream of particles, the method comprising:
 providing a solar concentrator reactor having an enclosed vessel volume and comprising:
 a gas inlet in fluid communication with the enclosed vessel volume; 
 a gas outlet in fluid communication with the enclosed vessel volume; 
 a particle feed; 
 a solar concentrator; 
 a controller in communication with the particle feed and the solar concentrator; and 
 a slag processor; 
   supplying, by way of the gas inlet, a first gas stream to the enclosed vessel volume, the first gas stream comprising a first gas;   delivering, by way of the particle feed, a set of particles of the particle stream to a defined irradiating location, the defined irradiating location within the enclosed vessel volume;   directing solar energy by way of the solar concentrator to the defined irradiating location;   irradiating the set of particles to produce a thermochemical reaction of the particles, the thermochemical reaction yielding a second gas and yielding a reacted material;   emitting the second gas through the gas outlet; and   extruding the reactive material from the slag processor; wherein:   the controller controls a rate of delivery of the particle stream and controls a rate of extrusion of the reacted material from the slag processor.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the defined irradiating location is between a particle feed outlet of the particle feed and the slag processor. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the defined irradiating location is at or adjacent to the slag processor. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the reacted material forms a slag pool at or adjacent to the slag processor. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the second gas is one of oxygen, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and H 2 O; and   the set of particles comprise lunar regolith.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the controller further operates to control a rate of delivery of the particle stream and a rate of extrusion of the reacted material from a slag extrusion nozzle of the slag processor. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the particle stream is a falling sheet of particles. 
     
     
         17 . A solar concentrator reactor system comprising:
 a solar concentrator reactor comprising:
 an enclosed vessel volume having an enclosed vessel volume pressure; 
 a solar concentrator directing solar energy to a defined irradiating location within the enclosed vessel volume; 
 a particle feed delivering a set of particles of a particle stream at a selectable particle stream feed rate to the defined irradiating location; 
 a controller comprising a computer processor; 
 a slag processor comprising a slag extrusion nozzle having a nozzle temperature; wherein: 
   the solar energy directed by the solar concentrator to the defined irradiating location irradiates the particles of the particle stream to produce a thermochemical reaction of the particles, the thermochemical reaction yielding a reacted material;   the reacted material is extruded from the slag processor at a selectable extrusion rate; and   the selectable extrusion rate is controlled by the controller by control of one or more of the enclosed vessel volume pressure, the nozzle orifice size, and the nozzle temperature.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the controller operates to:
 control the solar concentrator to direct solar energy to the defined irradiating location; and   to control the selectable particle stream feed rate.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein:
 the reacted material forms a reacted material pool at or adjacent to the slag processor; and   the irradiating location is between a particle feed exit of the particle feed and the reacted material pool.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 a gas inlet inputting a first gas stream to the enclosed vessel volume, the first gas stream comprising a first gas;   a gas outlet outputting a second gas stream from the enclosed vessel volume, the second gas comprising a second gas; and   a heat transfer device coupled to the slag extrusion nozzle operating to control a temperature of the reacted material;   wherein the thermochemical reaction further yields the second gas.